UNITED NATIONS, July 17. /TASS/. Israel continue to ramp up the construction of illegal settlements in violation of UN Security Council requirements, Security Council Chairman, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, speaking at the Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East.

"The situation in the West Bank and in East Jerusalem is difficult. Force raids of Israeli troops and aggression of the settlers continue there, accompanied by casualties on both sides," he underscored. "In violation of the UN Security Council Resolution 2334, Israel not only fails to reduce, but actually ramps up the construction of illegal settlements."

Lavrov particularly noted that, in addition to the expropriation of land and destruction of Palestinians’ homes, Israel carries out a "retrospective legalization of settlers’ outposts, whose construction is deemed illegal even by the Israeli legislation."

The foreign minister noted that such unilateral Israeli actions are a gross violation of Israel’s obligations as an occupying state.

"I will particularly point out that these obligations stem from the Geneva Conventions, adopted 75 years ago - ironically, for protection of the Jews, who were subjected to inhumane suffering during World War II and for prevention of any ethnicity-based persecutions in the future," Lavrov concluded.